United States News
See other United States News Articles
Title: Patriotism at a price: US military paid NFL teams to ‘honor’ soldiers at games
Source:
Intellihub
URL Source: https://www.intellihub.com/patrioti ... ms-to-honor-soldiers-at-games/
Published: May 11, 2015
Author: Sarah Lazare
Post Date: 2015-05-12 21:17:34 by Deckard
Keywords: None
Views: 2699
Comments: 22
By Sarah Lazare | Common Dreams What better way to advertise military culture—and recruit teenagers—than by staging heartfelt salutes to “hometown heroes” at professional football games in front of thousands of fans? That, apparently, is what Department of Defense officials thought when they shelled out at least $5.4 million of U.S. taxpayer’ money to 14 NFL teams between 2011 and 2014—to pay them to promote the military on and off the field. The vast majority of this money was disbursed by the National Guard, journalists Christopher Baxter and Jonathan D. Salant of New Jersey Advance Media revealed in an article published Thursday. The New York Jets, for example, accepted at least $377,000 between 2011 and 2014 to stage public salutes to veterans. A formal “Statement of Work” agreement between the Jets and the New Jersey National Guard exposes some of the team’s commitments, made between 2012 and 2013, in exchange for money. The following items are quoted from the deal: The list of advertising and promotion commitments goes on, as does the roster of teams that have agreed to such deals. The Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens are among the NFL teams that have engaged in similar transactions with the National Guard. U.S. Senator Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) has jumped on the revelations as examples of “egregious and unnecessary waste of taxpayer dollars by the New Jersey Army National Guard.” But Matt Stys, an Iraq veteran and member of Iraq Veterans Against the War based in Colorado, told Common Dreams that the revelations point to something far more insidious: the permeation of military propaganda into every aspect of U.S. life. “Should we be perpetuating war or should we be looking at peace, understanding, and education?” Stys asked. “We’re not defending our country or freedom—we’re destroying other countries and other countries’ freedoms.” Marine Corps, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard and (Photo: Marine Corps/Sgt. Randall A. Clinton/public domain)New York Jets received hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of years to salute ‘hometown heroes’
“I think it’s detrimental to the youth, specifically, seeing these images on a television of the NFL supporting the military,” said Stys. “It indicates to them that adults think this is right.” 
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 3.
#1. To: Deckard (#0)
(Edited)
The USA is the only nation that sings the national anthem before every game and that was because it was something they initiated for WW1 - an unpopular war - and was meant to last till the end of the war but when the war ended no one wanted to be the first to stop and be called anti-American so it has continued wasting our time every ball game for almost 100 years.
It is a very concrete link between militarism and sports. I would guess that Nazis and Soviets could only admire such a thorough penetration of militarism into public life and popular culture. Hitler admired us so much, he copied the stiff-arm Nazi salute from America (after which we switched to hand-over-heart for the Pledge). Heil Wilson. Heil FDR. Heil Kennedy. Heil Nixon. Et cetera.
#4. To: TooConservative (#3)
(Edited)
Hitler and the Americans copied the classical Roman salute model. In the old Roman empire lands that is how one pledged an oath or saluted. That is why we raise our right hand up when we are sworn under oath. Hitler did not copy the American salute - but it has the same origins. By the way, the raising of the hand was so that Zues could strike it with lightning if you were being a liar in your oath. That is why you raise your hand in an oath - it is a lightning rod. The origins of "May God strike me dead if I lie".
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latesthe permeation of military propaganda into every aspect of U.S. life. “I think it’s detrimental to the youth, specifically, seeing these images on a television of the NFL supporting the military,” said Stys. “It indicates to them that adults think this is right.”
#3. To: Pericles (#1)
The USA is the only nation that sings the national anthem before every game and that was because it was something they initiated for WW1 - an unpopular war - and was meant to last till the end of the war but when the war ended no one wanted to be the first to stop and be called anti-American so it has continued wasting our time every ball game for almost 100 years.
Replies to Comment # 3. would guess that Nazis and Soviets could only admire such a thorough penetration of militarism into public life and popular culture. Hitler admired us so much, he copied the stiff-arm Nazi salute from America (after which we switched to hand-over-heart for the Pledge).
End Trace Mode for Comment # 3.
[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Mail] [Sign-in] [Setup] [Help] [Register]